Coming Soon to a Class Near You: Cinematic Insights on Later Life

Cinema can enhance gerontological education by reinforcing a variety of learning styles, connecting course content to current culture, and providing an alternative, tangible view of what students are learning. The presenters discuss their use of film to teach gerontological concepts in the classroom. In an Introduction to Aging course, the films, “Young at Heart” and “Sunset Story” were used to break through ageist stereotypes, examine examples of resilience at the end of life, and convey the impact of residential context on the experience of aging, i.e., within a retirement home for “retired rebels.” In a course on Health and Aging, movies, such as “Red,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” and “Somethings Gotta Give” are used to compare the social and psychological aspects of aging of the characters to learned concepts in the classroom. Students expressed how watching and writing about the films increased their understanding by bringing abstract gerontological concepts to life.

Novel Healthy Eating Index to Examine Daily Food Guides Adherence and Frailty in Older Taiwanese

This study was conducted to investigate the adherence of Daily Food Guides (DFGs) among older Taiwanese, and the relationship of dietary quality and frailty. 154 functional independent older adults who were retirement home residents or community dwellers involved in congregate meal services were recruited. DFGs adherence was measured using a novel Taiwanese Healthy Index (T-HEI). Dietary quality was further assessed using Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Frailty was defined using modified Fried’s criteria. Of the total participants, 12.3% were considered non-frail individuals, while 77.3% were prefrail, and 10.4% were frail. Compared to non-frail participants, prefrail and frail individuals indicated significantly lower adherence to DFGs (ptrend = 0.025). Intake of dark or orange vegetables (ptrend = 0.010), whole grains (ptrend = 0.007), as well as nuts and seeds (ptrend = 0.029) by non-frail individuals were significantly higher than the levels by prefrail and frail individuals. Linear regression model adjusted for age, gender, and functional ability showed that T-HEI was inversely associated with frailty status (β = −0.16 ± 0, p = 0.047), but additional adjustment for nutritional status attenuated the association (β = −0.14 ± 0, p = 0.103). A similar relationship was observed for DASH but not MDS (DASH: β = −0.18 ± 0.01, p = 0.024; MDS: β = −0.06 ± 0.02, p = 0.465). After adjustment for confounders, the association was not observed. However, the distribution of whole grains component in both DASH and MDS was significantly higher in non-frail than prefrail and frail individuals, indicating the importance of whole grains intake in frailty prevention. In conclusion, higher adherence to DFGs and better dietary quality were associated with a lower prevalence of frailty. Higher nutrient-dense foods intake such as whole grains, dark or orange vegetables, nuts, and seeds mark a watershed in frailty prevention.

The Role of the Internal Heat Gains for Artificial Lighting on the Energy Performance of Buildings

This paper aims to propose a procedure for calculating the energy performance indexes of buildings considering the seasonality of internal gains due to artificial lighting with a monthly quasi-steady-state energy balance. The proposed methodology evaluates the heat gains due to the integrated natural-artificial lighting system with the Lighting Energy Numerical Indicator (LENI). For the evaluation of buildings’ global energy performance and for some energy services, this contribution cannot be considered constant annually as depend strongly by climate conditions. The effect of daylighting, type of light sources-luminaires, building orientation and shading devices could influence lighting contribution of the internal heat gains. Then, the proposed methodology evaluates the internal heat gains with monthly energy balances. This methodology was applied to the case study of the "Brancaccio" retirement home in Matera (IT) for which the values of the energy performance indexes were compared with the standard normative approach using constant internal heat gains. The results of this work underline the importance of performing a detailed analysis that considers the availability of natural light in the different months of the year, the efficiency of the different lighting systems and their power installed per unit of area as a function of the lighting comfort requirements in the different types of environments.

Experiencing Loneliness by Seniors during the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Example of Poland and Slovakia

Loneliness - a subjective, emotional state of feeling social isolation and being cut off from others. It comes and goes when life situation changes. In the case of chronic loneliness, it is experienced no matter what the circumstances. Loneliness functions in the temporal (time) dimension: it can be continuous, but it can also occur temporarily. The feeling of loneliness occurs in situations where the emotional bond is broken or in the case of isolation. The aim of this article is to address the problem of seniors' loneliness which is caused by the limitations of the Covid-19 pandemic. The participants of the study are seniors living in Poland and Slovakia. Research conducted in Poland, with two elderly women over 70, living in a small fishing village in the north of the country, shows that they experience unpleasant states of loneliness despite having adequate relationships with other people. As observations show, the increase in loneliness is caused by conditions that require the observance of precautionary measures related to the pandemic and restrictions on socializing and conducting classes in senior clubs. The above factors result in shallowing interpersonal interactions; weakening interpersonal relations; contribute to more superficial contacts mainly by telephone. Seniors who are in care at the Retirement Home and Nursing Home in Slovakia also admit to feeling lonely, though not directly. From the conversation, however, it can be concluded that this condition does not result directly from pandemic limitations, but rather from too little contact with loved ones. The presence of other residents and staff, contact with people, meals, activities and conversations significantly fill the time during the day. The study was aimed at checking the facts of loneliness faced by seniors living in Slovakia and Poland as well as providing information about their views on their situation. The aim of the study is also to indicate the direction that will be helpful in combating and preventing such a pejorative phenomenon as loneliness. The research was conducted in the form of an interview. In order for the quality of the interviews to be as high as possible, the respondents were selected from various backgrounds. In Poland, there were two single women, aged over 70, living in a tiny fishing village; in Slovakia they were clients of the Retirement Home and the Nursing Home in Rimavska Sobota. The authors of the texts on the situation in Poland and Slovakia would like to add that the respondents waited with interest for contact from the authors of the publication; were happy that they could speak; that there were people who were interested in their problems. The researchers tried to comprehensively present the analysis of the obtained data, situations and statements of the respondents and, using the bricollage technique, to interpret it in detail. The most important issues raised in the interviews were additionally summarized in the conclusions.

Microbiological Contamination in Different Food Service Units Associated with Food Handling

Background: A microbiological analysis of samples taken from hands of food handlers and utensils/crockery in food service units was used to assess the risk of food contamination. We aimed to assess indicators of microbiological contamination in different food service units. Methods: We used data for an official inspection proposal (2018–2019) in different food service units serving a district in Northeast Portugal. We showed the proportion of positive samples for each microorganism assessed in samples taken from hands and kitchen utensils/crockery. Results: Out of 471 samples taken from hands of food handlers, 26.8% (n = 126) were classified as “unsatisfactory” due to the presence of at least Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and/or total and fecal coliforms. Such a proportion varied according to the type of food service unit with a higher proportion being observed in Canteens (40.0%) and in Retirement Home/Day Care Centers (37.8%). More than one third of 649 samples taken from kitchen utensils/crockery were classified as “unsatisfactory” (n = 181; 27.9%) or “bad” (n = 49; 7.6%). There were significant differences in these proportions across food service units, with a higher proportion of “unsatisfactory” samples being observed in Fishmongers and Butcher Shops/Charcuteries (50.0% and 45.1%, respectively), while a higher proportion of “bad” samples was observed in both Pastry/Bakery and Fishmonger establishments (33.3%), followed by Butcher Shops/Charcuteries (14.1%). Conclusions: Our results emphasize the need of awareness of hygiene practices among food handlers of different food service units, particularly in Fishmongers, Pastry/Bakery establishments and Butcher Shops/Charcuteries, highlighting the need of a periodic hygienic evaluation.

Psychologies of not Knowing

Social and liberation movements all over the world have acted on the premise that oppression is kept alive, among other ways, through psychological mechanisms. Feminist and critical race epistemologies such as “feminist standpoint theories” and “epistemological ignorance” suggest that there might be different forms of not knowing involved depending on the social location of the (not) knowing subject. In this paper we suggest that the concrete psychological mechanisms involved in not knowing or outright ignorance differ according to one’s position in the social fabric of oppression and privilege. Drawing on various critical psychological and psychoanalytic reflections, as well as interpreting selected passages from a group discussion among elderly retirement home residents in Vienna, we illustrate how social position is translated into lack of knowledge about systems of oppression and privilege